Summer 2018-19

Welcome to the Summer Solstice - our longest day moving towards the turning of the year, our summer adventures in the outdoor world and the abundant life that is offered us.

This April, the National Permaculture Hui will be gifting us a rich traditional look at our future direction, hands-on methods for a balanced integration between our environment and society.

Running from the 4 -7 April South Coast Environment Centre will be hosting our 2019 National Permaculture Hui where Robert & Robyn Guyton’s Forest Garden, studded with the jewels of the region's heritage fruit trees, will provide us will provide us with the varied spaces for meeting and mooting amongst the circle of tree's.

Workshops will cover deeper issues of meaningful relationships with land, especially plants, approaches to creating desirable communities and networks between disparate groups, the value of looking to our predecessors and their approach to living within their means, global “messages” and trends to take note of, ways to communicate worthwhile ideas effectively, learning to recognise ossified thinking and ways to create new ones and much more.

Coastal Otago is a dynamic environment, geographically, climatically and socially location. You will experience diverse and creative responses to this at ten projects ranging from Dunedin’s tiniest intensely packed food forest garden to rural mixed forestry and tree crops arrangements.

LONGWOOD LOOP

Sun 31 Mar – Mon 1 or Sun 6 -7 Apr

Re-localising will bring rejuvenation and resilience to our small country towns. We will be leading the way in reducing our Carbon Footprint and inspiring other rural communities to do the same. Once we have re-localised, we will be more resilient to any natural or man-made disaster as we will be meeting most of our basic needs locally.

Our Feature Stories this edition is focused on the bottom of the North Island…

The statement of purpose for TheOmata Orchard is; a sustainable, visually enticing, accessible space where children and community can connect with nature and nutrition.This was embraced by the whole school as a rich topic, whereby the project was child-driven, based around hands-on authentic learning and linked back to the curriculum in the classroom. Read more here

The Toru Trail is about hands-on teaching and learning from each other; involving willing hosts and eager interns; resulting in self-responsible and self-designed practical learning journeys throughout Aotearoa - New Zealand.Originally named 'Practical Learning Aotearoa Internship trail (PLAIT), now refind the concept and the tech platform are ready for the fun to begin! Find out more about the project, the interns and hosts and how to join forces. Read more here.

A community group in Manawatu is making positive and steady progress sharing permaculture concepts with the public in the local region and beyond. The Society for the Resilience and Engagement of the Community of Ashhurst and Pohangina, or RECAP, as it is known, was created on the wave of Transition Towns culture.